Railway alarm-signal



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. T. H. GIBBON. RAILWAY ALARM SIGNAL.

1% w M w n 1 I I u I 1 I I T 1 I I 1 N 7 PM I k m 2 2 a m 3 nu NTTeo STATES PATENT @rrien.

THOMAS H. GIBBON, OF ADAMSVILLE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- FOURTH TO ARCHIBALD P. LA\V, TRUSTEE, OF MARSHALL, TEXAS.

RAILWAY ALARM-SIGNAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 252,5?8, dated January 17, 1882.

Application filed October 8, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS H. Gannon, of Adamsville,'in the county of Albany and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway Alarm-Signals, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an automatic signal apparatusfor use on railways Where such roads run through tunnels and deep cuttings in rock or other material liable to fall upon and obstruct the tracks; and the object or my invention is to afford facilities for automatically signaling at each end of the tunnel or cutting the occurrence of such an accident within the tunnel or cut. This object I attain by means of the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, and in which- Figure l is a plan view of the general arrangement of the apparatus; Fig. 2, an enlarged end elevation at one of the signal-target stations; Fig. 3, a detached plan view of one of the target-moving devices with the target in its closed position; Fig. 4, the same when in position to show the'face of the target; Fig. 5, a detached plan view of the target-lever and spring-latch; and Fig.6, a skeleton plan view, showing arrangement, for connecting the target levers together for producing a synchronous closing movement of the two targets.

As represented in the drawings, A indicates the track-rails, which are secured to the ties win the usual manner.

The automatic signal-target mechanisms are composed of the following parts: Bis the bedplate; 0, a frame erected on the bed-plate, and provided with a curved slotted opening, 0; 1), target-lever, pivoted to the bed-plate B by means of the stud d, fixed in a position coincident with the center from which the curve of the openingc is drawn; E, signaltarget, secured on the top of the standard 6, which is fixed in the lateral arm (1 of the lever 1) and arranged to move through the curved opening 0,- F, a spring, secured to the lever D in such manner that the power of the spring will be exerted in forcing said lever into aposition to expose the face of the target to an approaching train 5 G, a spring-latch pivoted at g to the frame 0. and provided with a lip, g, Fig. 2, that engages in the notch (1 ot the lever D and retains said lever to hold the target in its closed position; H, a spring, arranged to exert its power against the latch Gr, so as to hold the lip g in its placein the notch d of the target-lever. Two of these targetsignals should be used to guard each tunnel or cutting, and of these one should be placed near each end ofthe tunnel or cutting, in positions. where they can be seen readily by the engineer of an approaching train. The two spring-latches G are connected by means of the lines I, of wire, rope, or other suitable means of connection, arranged at each side of the track, and a like line, I, running between the trackrails A. The several lines, I and I, are connected together opposite each signalstation to form the single transverse lines 1 which connect to the spring-latches G, and all ofsaid lines are guided, by means ofthe sheaves J,to run in the required directions.

My invention operates in the following manner: The signal-targets and their operating mechanisms being fixed in the positions and arranged to operate as hereinbefore described and the target-levers D locked to present the edge of the targets toward an approaching train, the signals will indicate to the engineer in charge of such train that the track through the tunnel or cutting is in a safe condition; but if a rock or other body falls or rolls down where it will obstruct the passage of a train, in falling or rolling the obstructing body will strike one of the lines, I or I, with sufficient violence to move thespring-latches G to release the lips g from the levers 1)., whereupon the springs F instantly force the levers D to swing on their pivotal centers and expose the broad faces of the targets E toward an approaching train, and in this manner a warning of the danger on the tracks concealed from view is automatically given to the engineer of an approaching train.

The signal-targets may be located in any eligible situation that is sufficiently distant from the entrance to the tunnel or cutting to allow for stopping the train. At night the targets may be surmounted by the usual signallanterns.

Al'terthe obstructing matterha-s been cleared from the track, the two targets may be simultaneously restored to their closed positions by closing one of the targets; and for this purpose the two target-levers I) are connected together by an endless line, K, of rope, or other suitable connecting material, which doubles at each end around the guidesheaves it (placed near-the outer sides of the levers D) in such manner that the opposite parts of the line K will haul in reverse directions. The relative arrangement of the endless line K, sheaves k, and target-levers D is shown in Fig. 6, wherein the target levers arelocated at the opposite ends of a direct line; but when the targets are located at opposite sides of the track, as shown in Fig. 1, the direction of the endless line may be changed to suit the location of the targets by carrying the said lines around guiding-sheaves to the points required.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination, with tripping-lines fixed adjacent to and running in line with a railway-track, arranged substantially as de scribed, for receiving the shock or pressure produced by the deposition of debris on said track, of spring-actuated signal-targets consisting essentially of a lever, D, carrying the target E, the spring F, and a spring-latch, G, the latter being connected to the trippinglines, as described, and all adapted to operate as herein specified.

2. The combination, in a spring-actuated signaltarget, with the lever D, provided with a target, E, and actuated by a spring, F, substantially as described, ot' a spring-latch, Gr, adapted to engage wit-l1 the lever D to retain the sign al-target in its closed position, as herein specified.

3. The combination, with thetarget-levers D of two springactuated signal-targets distantly located from each other, of the endless line K, attached to both levers D, as herein described, for the purpose of producing a simultaneous movement of both of saidlevers by the movement of either of them, as herein specified.

THOS. H. GIBBON.

Witnesses: V

Tnno. G. WOLF, UHAs. D. NEUFFER. 

